The Guardian's Gary Younge writes today about the big question for those of us utterly convinced about the role of the grassroots in democratic politics.
With no democratic input, they promoted the agenda the campaign had outlined. It was Obama's show. They funded it and promoted it. But they did not own it. But since Wednesday all of that changed. They won. Now we'll see whether this electoral base has the will and wherewithal to transform itself into a political movement that might both support and challenge him.
Members of the British Labour Party have faced the same challenge throughout 11 years of Labour governments. The LabOUR Commission set out an agenda for renewal in its interim report published last year Angela Eagle MP, then vice-chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party and chair of the Commission, wrote in her Foreword:
Our recommendations show how renewal is possible, and that under new leadership it must be achieved by a genuine dialogue.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown missed the opportunity last year, but as a son of the manse he knows it is not too late to admit to mistakes - as with Iraq and the economy, it is the same with the Party. Next week's Labour Party NEC represents the opportunity to build a genuine partnership in power for Labour's volunteer membership.